The Sprout
Fighting Climate Change in Botley on 29th February
The newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley
Issue 144 February 2020
1
ABC
Association for
Botley Communities
Childrens play activities and face painting
Seed planting and plant swap
‘Give and take’ - bring your unwanted books,
music and clothing
‘Dr. Bike’ cycle maintenance
Entertainment, Photobooth, food and drink
Short talks on what we can do in our homes
and our community
The Botley and North Hinksey ‘Big Green Day’
Saturday Feb. 29th 10.30am – 4pm
L
e
a
p
i
n
t
o
A
c
t
i
o
n
!
Better Botley, better planet!
Activities will include
More information at: https://leap-into-action.eventbrite.co.uk
The Sprout
Issue 144, February 2020
Contents
3 Letters to the Editor
5 Leap into Action
9 Taekwondo for everyone
13 the First Cumnor Hill
17 Dance-outs and Saturdads
19 Planning Applications
21 Eating to Save the Planet
Brownies Christmas Treats
25 Botley Babies and Toddlers
27 Our New Community Hall
31 Recycling Properly
35 Friendly Running Group
37 Scouts festive fun
41 Randoms
43 Local organizations
From the Editor
Welcome to the first Sprout of 2020! As befits a decade in which there is
everything to play for on the climate front, this month’s offering has
several articles designed to help us get into gear. Recycling properly (p
31) shows how to make your recycling effective. Eating to Save the Planet
(p21) is an account of the third talk in Low Carbon West Oxford’s series
Act Now. (The fourth will be on Avoiding Waste on 8th February.) LCWO is
a priceless local resource, as is the waste-busting Oxford Foodbank.
They will both have stalls at ‘Leap Into Action’, Botley’s Big Green Day on
29th Feb (p5) when we can find out what’s being done locally, and what
might be done. It will take place in Ss P &P Church Hall and at Botley’s
snazzy new Community Hub, which opened its doors to the public on
25th February (p27) with a display by clubs and groups that meet there.
What else? An informal running group (p35) a choir (p35), and family-
friendly Taekwondo (p9). Also worth reading is Malcolm Graham’s latest
look at the stages by which Botley developed into the place we know and
love the route of the main road out of town before Cumnor Hill took its
familiar shape. It sheds light on the anomaly of Y-shaped end of North
Hinksey Lane the eastern arm’s not N Hinksey Lane at all, but the first
section of the original main road from Oxford to Faringdon.
Ag MacKeith
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Letters to the Editor
Same sex marriages in churches
It was heart-warming to read in the Sprout about Cumnor URC's
decision to register same-sex marriages. Quakers have been
sanctifying same-sex marriages since 2014 at our Meeting House at 43
St Giles. Our belief is that marriages are 'made by God' and 'we are but
witnesses'. At a Quaker wedding everyone present signs the certificate
to name all the witnesses. We are legally allowed to register our own
weddings and that is probably why Cumnor can claim to be the first in
2017, while we were entitled to do so as soon as the law changed – but
it isn't a competition and it is lovely to hear about their registration and
the plaque.
Anne Watson and John Mason
Stream restored
The Sprout may like to note that the original freshwater stream that
flowed from Conduit House down Harcourt Hill through North Hinksey
Village to provide fresh water for the city of Oxford at the Carfax
fountain has now been restored,
The pipe that brought it under the
A34 had got completely blocked up
over the years, until three years
ago it finally stopped flowing. This
led to the field south of the A34
becoming partly waterlogged.
Following repeated requests from
locals over many months, during
the closure of the northbound A34
on November 9, engineers took the
opportunity to clear the pipe and
the water began to flow freely
again.
Chris Sugden
[Congratulations, Chris, that all
your hard work got such a good
result in the end. Editor]
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LEAP INTO ACTION!
Botley and North Hinksey
‘Big Green Day’
When the Parish Council declared a climate
emergency, nearly a year ago, there was
some doubt about what we could actually
do. Parish councils, the lowest tier of the democratic system, don’t have
much power beyond allotments and playing fields. One thing we can do, we
agreed, was help people get active and share information. At an early
meeting of the PC’s new Environment Committee, we agreed to pull
together all the examples we could find of work by local people and
organisations to tackle climate change and share them at a Big Green Day
of Action.
2020 is a Leap Year, and Feb 29th looked like a day to remember, so that
was a good day for us. We have teamed up with the Association for Botley
Communities, booked the new Seacourt Hall and Ss P&P church hall and
invite you to join us there from 11am to 4pm. There will be stalls offering
ideas and information on what we can do to protect and improve our
environment, as well as some short talks and question-and-answer
sessions. There will be a couple of well-known speakers watch for news
on this.
There will be plenty happening in both halls, including play activities for
children and face painting, and some great food. If you’ve got your seeds
off to an early start and have plants to spare, bring them along there’ll be
a plant and seed swap event. We are also hoping to have a big ‘bring and
take’ element where you can bring your unwanted books, clothes and more
and then take away whatever others have brought that looks useful to you.
‘Doctor Bike’ will be holding a clinic where you can get your bike back into
working order or simply tuned up for spring.
We’ll invite you to join the Parish Council in agreeing to play a part in
tackling climate change, and there’ll be a special ‘photo booth’ where you
can make your own commitment and take a photo away to remind you of
your pledge. You can also record your own contribution on a big map,
based on the one that records all Oxford’s efforts to fend off climate change
that you can find on the People’s Power Station (https://peoples
powerstation.org/) showing what’s happening locally. The Sprout will have
a stall where the people who’ve written articles over the years can share
ideas and answer questions about what they’ve done and how it worked.
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At the end of the day (from 3–4pm) we will be holding a ‘mini-conference’.
We will draw together the ideas and commitments from the day and look at
how the Parish Council can support local people in making the changes we
will all need to tackle in the years ahead.
We will also draw up and agree a message from local people to our MP, to
government ministers and even to the UN climate conference that will take
in the UK later this year. We may only have a small voice, but if we make a
noise together we are more likely to be heard.
This is all about creating a better future, and there’s a lot of groups already
working for a better Botley in their own ways, whether it’s through working
with young people, sports or creative arts. Leap Into Action invites every
Botley and North Hinksey community group to come along and have a stall,
to share what you are doing and to encourage people to get involved in
your work. We need people to help plan and run the day. If you would like
to help make this happen please do get in touch. There’s more information
at https://leap-into-action.eventbrite.co.uk and if you’d like to help in any
way please contact me, as chair of NHPC’s Environment Committee:
chrischurch@cooptel.net
Chris Church
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Not just for kids!
Cat – mum of two – says this:
Taekwondo in Botley is a family affair!
If you’re a parent wanting to get fit after Christmas excesses but not
sure how, you may be feeling like I did back in 2015. The only exercise I
was getting on weekday evenings was the treadmill of pick-up,
homework, dinner, cubs/swimming/football/insert any childhood activity
here. Long gone were the days when I would pop to the gym for an hour
or two – and to be honest, gym is boring! I wanted to do something new,
something fun, and ideally something that was local – NO DRIVING!
I took a look in the Sprout to see what was available, and on the back
page found that West Oxford Taekwondo Club ran sessions on
Mondays and Thursdays at Matthew Arnold School. I texted Chris Hall,
who runs the club, and on a cold blustery evening, rocked up to MA
School for my first session. Feeling like I needed some moral support, I
dragged my eldest son Fraser with me (really he dragged me).
The class was full of both adults and children, ranging from white belts
(beginners) through to black belts
(very good!). It was a lovely family
atmosphere and everyone made
us feel welcome. The class starts
with a warm up and then moves on
to line work (everyone lined up in
rows, kicking and striking in
formation). After this there are
patterns (my absolute favourite),
kicking circles, board breaking
(only for grown-ups, and SO
MUCH FUN), some self-defence,
and finally, sparring. Back then,
Fraser couldn’t wait to get sparring,
but I was very nervous. Chris
explained that sparring was ‘tag’
contact only in his class, or ‘play-
fighting’. I wasn’t sure I believed
him, but I gave it a try and he was
right it was a lot better than I
expected. I went home buzzing,
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and couldn’t wait for the next
session (although the next morning
I could barely walk…) Four years
later, I’m hooked sufficiently so
that my husband frequently refers
to me as ‘Taekwondo nerd.’ Both of
my sons now train with me at least
once a week, and for some reason
relish the opportunity to get one
over on their Mum during sparring.
We’ve also made some great
friends, and the club has lots of
social events throughout the year. I
love practising my patterns (like
‘kata’ in Karate) and as a present last year, my husband made me
something called a ‘breaking horse’, which is a stand for holding boards
for breaking. More than anything though, I feel fitter and stronger. So, if
you’re thinking Now’s the time to try something new’, or if you want to
reclaim some of your fitness in 2020, I can really recommend it!
Fraser says: I’ve been doing Taekwondo for four years. I started going
because I didn’t know any martial arts and I wanted to learn some self-
defence. I think the club is brilliant for beginners, because they are fair
and want you to do well. My favourite bit of Taekwondo is that you’re
never sitting down and not doing something there’s always an
opportunity to be involved. I enjoy sparring because you get to express
all the things you’ve learnt and practise them properly, but my favourite
is the games we sometimes play to improve our reflexes in a fun way.
Dougie says: In Taekwondo I like sparring and doing patterns.
Sometimes they make us do one pattern as a race, but I prefer doing it
slowly! I also like playing games, especially ‘murder ball’ which isn’t as
bad as it sounds!
West Oxford Taekwondo Club numbers are about 15-20, but there are a
lot of senior grades now, so we would definitely benefit from some new
junior members. You’ll be given a warm welcome. And then a seriously
fun workout! If you’re tempted the first session is free, so definitely worth
a go! Call Oxford 570291 or visit www.wotkd.org.uk for details.
Cat (40), Fraser (10) and Dougie (8)
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The First Cumnor Hill
Botley is now firmly locked into the national road network, and under
threat from a proposed Oxford–Cambridge Expressway, but it was once
a much quieter place. Until the mid-18th century, most long-distance
traffic from Oxford to Gloucester and beyond left by the Woodstock
Road and headed west through Bladon towards Witney. Traffic for
Bristol and the south-west went via Abingdon Road and Foxcombe Hill
towards Faringdon. Botley offered no realistic alternative to these
routes. The Botley causeway, built or upgraded in the 16th century,
provided a link with Oxford across the Thames floodplain, but it was just
14 feet wide the western end still survives in Old Botley behind
McDonald’s and it was in poor repair. In 1751, the ancient horse road
over Wytham Hill to Eynsham was said to be in so bad a state that
‘Travellers on Horseback cannot, especially in the winter season, pass
through the same without great danger.’ West of Botley, lanes from
Botley Pound and Dean Court climbed steeply to Chawley and Cumnor,
but served only local needs.
By 1770, turnpike roads had transformed this situation. Road
improvement in 18th century England depended on the work of turnpike
trusts, bodies established by Act of Parliament to manage sections of
the road network and to raise money for improvements through tolls.
The horse road over Wytham Hill to Eynsham and Witney was first
turnpiked in 1751, and a toll-
gate was erected in Botley at
the western end of the Botley
causeway. Proposals from the
mid-1750s to upgrade this
road for use by carriages led
eventually to an Act of
Parliament in 1767 setting up
the Botley and Newland
Turnpike Trust. Botley Road
was widened to 30 feet and
what is now West Way was
formed to bypass Botley
village. A new toll-house was
erected east of Osney Bridge
to collect tolls from road users.
8
In August 1769, the Stroudwater coach was the first to use the new
route, heading over Wytham Hill to Lord Abingdon’s new Swinford
Bridge.
The 1767 Act also required the trust to improve the road from Botley to
Fyfield and, in April, contractors were asked to send in proposals for
making this a turnpike road 30 feet wide. The most striking feature of
this improvement was a completely new carriage road up Cumnor Hill,
beginning just west of Botley Mill and passing south of Botley village;
the initial section survives as the link road between West Way and North
Hinksey Lane. [Looking towards town in photo, and known as Old Road
on pre-Google maps.] This road climbed up to Hurst Lane, where part
survives as an unmade track, before bypassing Chawley and crossing
Cumnor’s common fields on the way to Besselsleigh (see map below).
The first Cumnor Hill was
certainly in use by
August 1770 when Mr
Ridge, an Oxford baker
‘somewhat disguised by
Liquor’, was killed by a
fall from his horse while
racing his companion
down the new Turnpike
Road from Cumner Hurst
to Botley.’
Mr Ridge’s unfortunate
end perhaps owed
something to the
steepness of the road,
and today’s more gently
graded Cumnor Hill was
built between 1825 and
1827.
The old road was closed on 11 April 1827 and any subsequent users
were threatened with prosecution. The central section had vanished by
1876 when a rifle range for University Volunteers occupied the site of
Hurst Rise Road. Field boundaries continued to mark other portions of
the road until 20th century housing development obliterated them.
Malcolm Graham
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Dance-outs and Saturdads
Cry Havoc a Botley-based Morris side have raised £1000 over the
past year for Botley Bridges by collecting at their dance-outs. They
presented the cheque at the
monthly Saturday Play
session for dads and their
young children at the
beginning of December. Dads
and children took part in a
dance two children insisting
that Morris dancing could be
done on bikes!
Botley Bridges is a local
charity which was set up after
the Sure Start Children's
Centres were closed and has
continued over the past 2½
years to provide drop-in
sessions, Summer fun-in-the-
parks sessions, parenting
courses, paediatric first aid courses and advice to local families. Initial
transition funding will end in March 2020 and the service will then be
solely dependent on grants, contributions and donations. Local County
Councillors Susanna Pressel and Judy Roberts have both been very
supportive and helped financially as have Cumnor and North Hinksey
Parish Councils. Botley Bridges will need to raise £20,000 a year to
continue to provide the current level of service and the trustees are very
grateful to Cry Havoc for this donation. Over 300 local families have
used the drop-in services in the past year. Thirty-one people came to
parenting courses and forty-five took advantage of the paediatric first-
aid courses, so it is a well used service. The sessions are run from a
room at Botley School by a paid coordinator who is supported by
volunteers. One dad at the session this month said 'there are very few
opportunities for dads in the area to meet up and get to know each
other. Saturdads offers a unique event for friendships to form and for
dads to provide support to each other.’ Another dad said ' the Children's
Centre was very supportive when the twins were tiny it's great that
Botley Bridges has continued with this good work’.
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Botley Bridges are always looking for volunteers so if you think
supporting families is important and have early years or play
experience and a couple of hours to spare please contact the
coordinator on coordinator@botleybridges.org. Donations can also be
made on the website http://www.botleybridges.org/donate
If you fancy trying your hand at Morris Dancing, Cry Havoc are also
looking for new dancers so do get in touch if you would like to join
them by contacting info@cryhavoc.org.uk Sue Dowe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LOCAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS
P19/V3166/LDP 53 Montagu Rd. Loft conversion with
rear dormer + roof lights.
2 December
P19/V3193/HH 106E West Way. Erection of
outbuilding to be used as a home office.
5 December
P19/V3207/HH 2 Hurst Rise Rd. First floor extension to
existing single-storey dwelling.
11 December
TDD: 5 Feb
P19/V3180/FUL 20 Eynsham Rd. 6 flats comprising 3
two-bed & 3 one-bed, self-contained
units,
20 December
TDD: 14 Feb
P19/V3252/FUL
change to house
plans on application
ref. P16/V2166/FUL
34 North Hinksey Lane. Variation of
condition. Demolish existing house,
erect 3 houses, access from North
Hinksey Lane, parking, garages.
20 December
Target Decision
Date 14 Feb
P19/V3278/FUL
Variation of
Conditions on
application
P19/V0667/FUL
9 Eynsham Rd. Demolish existing
house & replace with 6 two bed flats.
Trees retained due to re-planned
parking; & re-planned unit 4 to orientate
habitable rooms towards front.
20 December
TDD: 14 Feb
P19/V3354/HH 3 Hazel Rd. Single storey extension at
the rear.
20 December
TDD: 14 Feb
P20/V0002/O The Willows 4 Yarnells Rd. Demolish
existing buildings, erect single building
of eight 2-bedroom flats.
2 January
TDD: 27 Feb
P19/V3355/HH 10 Yarnells Rd. Side & rear 2-storey
extension. P19/V3166/LDP
6 January
TDD: 2 March
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Eating to Save the Planet
The latest workshop in Low Carbon West
Oxford’s ACT Now programme took place on
Saturday morning 11 January. ACT Now Action
on Climate Together Now is our current
programme to help local people reduce our
carbon emissions by taking action to maximise
energy efficiency in our everyday lives [see last
September’s Sprout]. As part of the programme,
we are running a series of Saturday meetings
and this one was on how what we eat makes a difference.
It’s complicated! was the first thing we learned, as Susan Hutchinson
gave us an overview of how various foods impact on the environment.
Cheese has quite a negative impact! The best things are locally grown
vegetables. In spring and early summer apples from New Zealand can
have less impact on the environment than British ones because
British ones will have been kept in energy-hungry chillers, while New
Zealand apples have been transported by sea, using less energy.
Anais from Oxfordshire Community Action Groups (CAG) gave us some
surprising statistics: the average four-person household in the UK
throws away £800 of food every year. Nina from Good Food Oxford told
us about the Sugar Smart project run by Sustain (See sustainweb.org It
exists to run multiple campaigns to improve food and farming), and also
about their Food Access Alliance. They’re looking for volunteers to be
trained to teach healthy cooking skills.
It was a well attended and interesting session. ACT Now meetings are
open to everyone. People who sign up for the Programme get free
Home Energy Assessments, and small grants for improvements. And it’s
open to Botley and Hinksey residents too (subject to availability).
Forthcoming Saturday morning workshops are: Reducing Waste on 8
February Energy Efficient Transport on 7 March Energy Efficient
Finance on 25 April and a session on talking about climate change
and managing emotions about it on May 9th. They are all at West
Oxford Community Centre. See you there!
Alison Mathias
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Brownies get Christmas Treats
2nd Botley Brownies
enjoyed our annual trip to
the panto where the
classic story of ‘Beauty
and the Beast’ was re-told
in a somewhat
complicated yet enjoyable
way. During the interval
we made use of the
theatre’s selfie photo
frame prop “pantogram”
(see photo).
The following weekend
ten of our girls were lucky
enough to be allocated
places on our District
overnight trip to Birmingham
joining 120 other girls from
Rainbows, Brownies, Guides
and Rangers. After our
coach ride up we began our
weekend in the Legoland
Discovery Centre indoor playground where we enjoyed being giants in
the Mini-land, watching the 4D film and going on the rides. Then once
the National Sea Life Centre had closed and all the visitors had gone
home, we were given a VIP tour but not before we had crossed the
canal to eat our pizzas. The late-night tour took us to see all the
creatures including the sleeping penguins, colourful clownfish, majestic
jelly fish, Molokai the giant sea turtle and, of course, the sharks. We
slept in our sleeping bags in the Coral Caves underneath a 360 degree
ocean tunnel surrounded by strange-looking fish and the octopus. On
Sunday morning we saw the penguins up for their morning swim as we
got ready to get back onto the coaches back to Oxford.
Back at our usual meetings we finished off our Christmas preparations
by each carefully making a Christmas card using strips of ribbon to
make a tree shape and then had fun at a weekend Brownie disco.
The Owls
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Botley Baby and Toddler Group
Did you know that this group at St Peter & St Paul’s hall (West Way) has
been running for over 30 years? It is open on Tuesday and Thursday
mornings, 9.30–11.00 am during term time and occasionally over the
school holidays.
The group is run by volunteers on a charitable basis, attended by not
only parents but also by other relatives and carers. It provides a large
space for children to learn through play with our great range of toys and
equipment, while they begin to socialise with others before moving onto
preschool. We welcome all under fives. Babies can play with toys on
the ‘baby mat’ or learn to walk using the push along toys. Toddlers can
practise their hand–eye co-ordination playing with the puzzles, the
playdough, the Happyland toys and expand their imagination with the
dressing up/role-play box and much more. There is something for every
child to keep them amused and challenged! For us adults, it’s a place to
catch up with friends and for new parents, carers or people just moved
to the area to get to know others with children of a similar age.
Everyone is made to feel very welcome. Sessions are reasonably priced
at £1.50 per family, which includes drinks for adults and children plus a
healthy snack.
Of course if you would like to help with the group there are many
different ways you could do this helping with craft activities, meeting
and greeting newcomers, advertising the group, helping with the
treasurer’s job, preparing refreshments… Find us on Facebook ‘Botley
Baby & Toddler Group’ for more information or to send us a message.
The Sprout has kindly donated £200 towards the cost of some new
toys. We are extremely grateful and would like to say a very big thank-
you! Now we just need you to come along and make the most of them!
Sian Baldwin and Ann Andrews
Welcome to your new community hall
The modern and flexible Seacourt
Hall opened its doors in the new
community building in January.
The Open Day on Saturday 25th
was too late to make the print
deadline for this issue of The
Sprout but we hope you had a
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chance to visit or read about it. If not, here are some details of what the
new hall offers our community.
The hall is on the ground floor with power assisted entrances at the front
and side. The Main Hall is 125 square metres with a sprung wooden floor
ideal for dance and exercise, floor to ceiling windows for maximum light and
adjustable blinds for privacy if
required.
There are two additional areas
the Meeting Room is 50 square
metres with a vinyl floor and
windows onto the car park and
the Lounge is also 50 square
metres with carpeted floor and
access from the side of the
building. The areas can be divided
or opened up with modern ceiling-
hung dividing walls so the Meeting Room can be used as an extension of
the main hall or of the Lounge. The whole space can also be hired and is
ideal for parties or conferences.
There is a fully fitted modern
kitchen with access and serving
hatches on two sides so it can be
used with different hall layouts. We
also have plenty of toilet facilities
including accessible toilet and a
baby changing facility. The main
hall now includes a wall-mounted
large monitor generously donated
by SDC the company building
West Way Square – to support
15
Branches Youth Group who
plan to hold screenings for
young people. The monitor
can also be booked by any
hall users for meeting
presentations or similar. The
hall also has an acoustic
ceiling and hearing loop
installed throughout.
Seacourt Hall is operated by a
Management Committee of
Trustees and is a registered
charity. The replacement of the old hall was a requirement of the
redevelopment of the shopping centre. The new building, also home to the
Library and the Baptist Church, is the first part of the development to open.
The new hall facilities are the result of several years of negotiations with the
developers by current and previous members of the Management
Committee who always kept the needs of our growing community at the
forefront of discussions.
We hope the new Seacourt Hall
will provide opportunities for all
members of the community
from the youngest who may
attend the new baby and toddler
sensory classes, to the elderly
residents who can benefit from
the on-going bi-weekly Lunch
Club and new options. As well
as the existing users including
yoga, Zumba, choir and music
rehearsals, children’s dance and
sewing group, we have new
classes starting in February
including adult ballet, beginners Spanish lessons and art and craft classes,
and more bookings are coming in.
Visit our website seacourt hall.org.uk for more details of what’s on and
information on how to book the hall for you class, meeting, or party. Do also
give us feedback on the hall at seacourt.hall@gmail.com and tell us how
we can continue to improve facilities for our community.
Lorna Berrett, Chair of Seacourt Hall Management Committee
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Recycling properly – can we wash away
our consumer guilt and learn to love the
Binzone?
In Botley, we’re great at recycling! England classifies
45.7% of its household waste as recycling (it’s only
25.8% in the US) and Vale of White Horse District
Council (VoWH) has recently been ranked 4th best recycling district in
England, which is certainly something to be proud of.
The Binzone beckons
If you are surprised by this success, or feel that you need more
information on how you can recycle better, then fear not because deep
within the VoWH website machine there is a handy tool for you! It’s
called the Binzone. Here you can type in the item that you are
considering throwing away and it will spit out not only which of your bins
it should go into, but also what day the collection of that bin is next due.
Don’t forget to wash and squash plastic bottles and cans, and to wash
glass jars – items contaminated by food, etc, may be rejected.
Did you know that, over and above the usual items, VoWH residents
can even put small electrical items out next to their black bins? Textiles
too can go in clear plastic bags and be put out alongside your green
bins. True convenience! VoWH have done well to make it so easy for us
to do the right thing. But although recycling is better than just using
something once, it is still not enough.
But then where does our rubbish go?
Generally the plastics that we recycle are recycled into non recyclable
items. So not single use, just twice used. Not the great infinite cycle we
conjure in our mind’s eye when we see the familiar symbol stamped on
so much of our packaging.
The items that we put in our recycling bins are traded on the
international commodities market. In 2018 China, one of the biggest
importers of our recyclable waste, closed its doors to international
imports of waste plastic. England then upped consignments to other
South East Asian countries who, apart from becoming saturated, have
much lower health and safety and environmental standards than we do
here, and are also expected to ban imports of international solid waste
17
very soon. Not only this but there is still embodied energy in recycling
plastic – imagine your little yogurt pot being shipped half way across the
world to be sorted and shredded and melted before it’s ready for one
more reincarnation!
The three Rs – Refuse, Reduce, Re-Use
The price for plastics and card has plummeted, and we are not ready to
deal with all of our recycling within our own borders yet. Biffa, who have
the contract with VoWH to collect our recycling, say that they “recycle as
much as possible in the UK and are investing in their recycling facilities
to increase capacity to do this, such as a new PET facility in Seaham
which opens in 2020.” Which is timely and necessary, but not yet in
place.
So as things currently stand yes it is better to recycle than just throw
in general waste. But recycling will not wash away our consumer guilt.
Much better would be to follow the other Rs, which are: Refuse, Reduce
and Re-use before resorting to the penultimate option of recycling.
Emma Gordon
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Botley Running Group.
I’ve been a runner (on and off) for
several years now, doing the odd
10k here and there, usually with my
son Charlie. Charlie then went off to
university and I found that I was
lacking the motivation to get my
trainers on and pound the streets.
So, last summer, I posted on the
Botley Facebook page to find out if
anyone was interested in starting up
a Botley running group with the
emphasis on all abilities being
welcome to join. I think I used the tag
line: “I’m 50 with a belly!” I got a good response and we started straight
away, meeting two days after I first suggested the group. We don’t have
any set time and day to run, we have a WhatsApp group and, when
anyone fancies going out we just suggest it to the group.
There are twenty of us at the moment and small groups of us get
together about two or three times a week, doing runs/jogs from two
miles upwards. We have done one organised run together so far, the
Silverstone 10k, where six of us took part, and we expect to do many
more this year. We really do not take ourselves too seriously, we are
just a group of similarly minded people (the photo shows Ruth, Charlie,
Andy, Scott and Sarah) who like to go out for a jog now and then. If you
would like to join us, just drop me a text 07943 082897. Andy Duffy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cumnor Choral Society Christmas Concert
A real treat in November at Cumnor Choral Society’s Concert to hear
Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. They were joined by Great Milton and
Wheatley Singers and accompanied by the Hurst Sinfonia. As usual it
was a stunning performance. We were also treated to two orchestral
pieces by Bach Sinfonia from Cantata No 29 and Air and Fugue from
Orchestral Suite No.3.This has to have been one of their best concerts.
Peter Foster certainly gets the best out of his singers. For a small choir
to attract such talented soloists is surely a feather in their caps. As usual
they provided a sumptuous after concert buffet. Clare Isaacs
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Scouting at Christmas
On the first weekend in December, the 4th Oxford Scout Group came
together for one of the highlights of the year – the Christmas Camp! Around
80 Scouts, Cubs and Beavers, plus leaders and helpers, headed up to
Youlbury for a weekend of fun, learning and adventure!
After finding dorms and unpacking bags, all scouts, cubs and beavers were
divided into mixed-aged teams with a Christmas-themed name (all too often
involving Brussels sprouts). Points were available for those teams that
performed well in the camp activities!
The weekend’s adventures then commenced. Groups headed out for a
torch lit scavenger hunt in the camp grounds, followed by camp fire songs
and that all-time favourite hot chocolate with marshmallows. Everyone then
settled down for the night, knowing that Saturday would be jam-packed with
fun activities.
After a hearty breakfast, Saturday morning started with room inspections,
earning points towards the team totals. Everyone made an effort, though
certain rooms stood out the Beaver girls’ room was particularly tidy. The
main activities then started, with some lucky teams heading outside into the
cold, crisp morning to take part in winter Olympic events, and have a go at
pioneering the art of using sticks
and ropes to build structures strong
enough to stand on! Other teams
picked up cameras to snap frosty
shots of the landscape (or each
other), whist others stayed inside to
try out circus skills, computer
programming and make t-shirts and
badges to take home.
After such a busy day, everyone was
hungry, which was just as well as a
group of parents had cooked a full
Christmas dinner, complete with
turkey (and vegetarian option), roast
veg, stuffing, Xmas pudding and
mince pies. Then it was time to sit
back and enjoy the traditional leader
panto, this year telling the story of a
poor girl, her rather evil and eccentric
relatives and the opportunity she gets
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to improve her life situation yes, you’ve guessed it! Cinderella! It’s
probably not going to make it to the Playhouse anytime soon, but it was
enjoyed by all there, not least for the extraordinary costumes!
Cubs and Beavers spent
Sunday morning making
dens, trying archery and
picking up team points
towards the camp totals.
Scouts, meanwhile, set
about the fun task of
dredging a stream as part of
their site service badge.
Following a pasta lunch,
points were totalled, and
team winners confirmed, and
then parents arrived to find
out what their young people
had been doing for two days, and see if they had won anything in the raffle.
And finally, it was time to head off home, tired but with memories to last
until next year’s camp!
James Gagg, 4th Oxford Assistant Beaver Leader
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Randoms
Kennington Memory Club
Kennington Memory Club is your local Day Care Centre for people living
with dementia. The club is small (no more than ten members per day)
with three members of staff and up to two volunteers per session, so we
can offer activities to suit our members, as well as the personal attention
which is so important. Lunch can be provided at a modest extra cost,
and drinks and snacks are served. We can cope with mobility problems,
provided not more than one helper is needed for transfer from
wheelchair to chair. The venue is wheelchair accessible, there is a
‘disabled’ toilet and ample parking.
Two open days are coming up when you can find out what we do. They
are Monday February 10th and Thursday February13th at our usual
venue, the Methodist Church, Upper Road, Kennington OX1 5LR. If you
are a dementia professional, living with someone afflicted or a carer, this
is for you. All are welcome and there is no need to book. If you, or
someone you look after, is interested in joining the club, our Organiser,
Helen, will arrange for one or more “taster days” before you decide
whether the club is right for you. We currently have places available for
new members. For information, phone 07852 883 496 or visit our
website www.kenningtonmemoryclub.org.uk.
Cumnor Choral Society Easter Concert
Following the success of their Christmas Concert (see page 18) Cumnor
Choral Society have put out an early warning that their Easter Concert
on 21 March will include Haydn’s Little Organ Mass, Mendelsohn’s
“Hear My Prayer” and Faure’s “Cantique de Jean Racine”. Tickets from
Caroline Cockman on 07961 900670
Have you taken the PPG patient survey?
The Botley and Kennington Patient Participation Group’s survey of
patients’ experiences of using GP services continues throughout
February. Paper copies are available at both Botley and Kennington
surgeries or the survey can be completed on line at www.smartsurvey.
co.uk/s/YourexperienceofusingGPservices/
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North Hinksey Art Group
Our latest exhibition is at the SS Peter & Paul church in Botley, from
Monday 3rd February until Friday 3 April 2020. This is part of the
ongoing exhibitions organised and hung by Botley Arts.
We are a small and friendly art group, where a social environment with
regular meetings, with tea and biscuits, is crucial to making our art.
Creativity and development are encouraged with a new subject every
week in the classes led by Christina Wartke-Dunbar. The exhibition
shows a wide range of those different subjects flower and animal
studies, interiors, landscapes, seascapes and local scenes. The
pictures featured are by ten different students from the class, and
employ a number of different media: pen and wash, pastel, oil on
canvas, and (of course) watercolour.
We welcome you to explore and enjoy our work in the church between
the hours 10am and 4pm. Details will be available should you wish to
purchase a picture, and we look forward to your comments in the
visitors' book.
Jennie Hopkins
Make Botleyclean again! OxClean, 28 February – 1 March
This year, OxClean's annual city-wide litter pick will take place from
Friday 28 February to Sunday 1 March. If you would like to organise a
group of people to pick litter, OxClean will advertise your event; provide
bags, litter pickers and high vis vests; and organise for the bags of litter
to be taken away by the city's waste collectors. Please see
https://www.oxclean.org.uk/. You can join any of the groups shown on
the website, or contact the Sprout if you want something local. We will,
as every year, be picking litter in the Seacourt Nature Reserve on
Saturday 29 February, 2-4pm. Do come along! We will meet at 2pm at
the entrance to the nature reserve, between Richer Sounds and Wickes
on the Botley Road. Wear sturdy shoes and bring gloves.
Riki Therivel and Tim O'Hara
LEAP INTO ACTION! 29Th February
Seacourt Hall and Ss Peter and Paul Church Hall, 11am to 4pm. See
what’s being done locally to fight climate change, and get some ideas
on how to play your part.
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Organizations: If your organization is not listed here, please send details
to editor@thesprout.org.uk or telephone 724452 for inclusion.
1st Botley Brownies
Girls aged 7–10
Dean Court Community Centre Thur 6–7.30 Fiona Wheeler,
firstbotleybrownies@gmail.com
2nd Botley Brownies
Girls aged 7–10
Rosary Room, Yarnells Hill. Tues 6:15-7:45 Alison
Griffin 2ndbotleybrownies@outlook.com
4th Oxford Scout Group
Beavers, Cub Scouts, Scouts
Scout Hall, Arnolds Way; mail@thefourth.org.uk
Website: http://www.thefourth.org.uk/
15th Oxford Scout Group
Boys and girls welcome
Fridays, cubs 6.30-8, scouts 8-9.30, Botley Baptist Hall.
Amy Cusden 07887 654386 xvoxfordscouts@yahoo.co.uk
Baby & Toddler Group Tues/Thurs 9.15–11, SS Peter & Paul Church Hall
Badminton Club
Thurs 7-8pm at Matthew Arnold Sports Hall. Garry Clark
0777 3559 314 garryclark13@gmail.com
BikeSafe. B4044 community
path campaign
Wants to connect Botley to Eynsham. Meets every 6-8
weeks. Contact via website B4044path.org
Books on Wheels R.V.S. Free Library Service for housebound Ox. 248142
Botley Boys & Girls F.C.
Football teams from ages 8-16
Jason Barley Ox. 242926 jbarley1@sky.com or Brendan
Byrne 792531 brendan.byrne999@gmail.com
Botley Health Walks Wednesday 9.30am. Contact Briony 01865 246497
Botley Library
01865 248142. Open till 7 on Friday and 1pm on Sat,
otherwise 9.30 to 5.30 (closed Wednesdays).
Botley Singers
Thur 7.30, St Andrew’s Church, Dean Court. Angela Astley-
Penny Ox.242189 angastpen@aol.com
Branches Café, Westway
Place, Open to All 8am-3pm,
Open for young people 3-5 daily, Th. eves 7–9 Tel:01865
251115 www.branchesyouth.uk Facebook Instagram
Community Fridge
Mon–Sat 9–5, Sun 11–5. Riki Therivel 07759 135811
Cumnor Choral Society
Rehearsals Friday 7.45 to 9.45 pm John May 07795
054142 or www.cumnorchoralsociety.wordpress.com
Cumnor Chess Club
Thurs 7–9pm Cumnor Old School. Steven Bennett 862788
www.cumnorchessclub.co.uk
Cumnor & District Historical
Society
Last Monday of the month 7.30-9.00 Cumnor Old School.
01865 724808
Cumnor Gardening Club http://cumnorgardens.org.uk/ or phone , 01865 721026
Harmony InSpires, Ladies'
Acappella Singing Group
Wed 7.30 at Appleton village hall. C. Casson 01235 831352
or harmonyinspires@hotmail.co.uk
Hill End Volunteer Team
Contact: David Millin on david.millin@hill-end.org, call
01865-863510 or visit www.hillend-oec.co.uk
Let’s Sing! – singing group Weds 2pm, WOCC, details Emily 07969 522368
or email emformusic@outlook.com
Morris Dancing – Cry Havoc
Barbara Brett 249599 or bag@cryhavoc.org.uk
North Hinksey Preschool and
Childcare Clubs
Mon–Fri 7.45am –6.00 pm. 01865 794287 or email
nhps.manager1@gmail.com
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N Hinksey Art Group Weds 10 – 12.00 W.I. Hall Tel: Christina 07931 707997
N Hinksey Bellringers Contact: Ray Rook 01865 241451
N Hinksey Conservation
Volunteers
Meets at weekends. Contact Voirrey Carr 07798743121
voirreyc@aol.com
N Hinksey, Friends of Annual Cricket Match & Walk. Douglas Bond 791213.
N Hinksey Parish Council Colin Ryde, tel 861992, clerk@northhinksey-pc.gov.uk
N Hinksey Youth Club
Wednesdays at Arnold's Way pavilion, call Daz on 07791
212866 or see Facebook
Over Sixties Lunch Club
Every other Thursday. Seacourt Hall. Viv Smith 01865
241539 or Jackie Warner 01865 721386
Oxford Flood Alliance R Thurston 01865 723663 or 07973 292035
Oxfd Flower Arranging Club 4th Thursday Cumnor. Dympna Walker: 01865 865259
Oxford Harmony Men's
Acappella singing group
Meets Wednesdays 7.45 pm at Seacourt Hall Contact
pro@oxfordharmony.co.uk
Oxford Otters
Swimming for people with disabilities. Sundays, twice
monthly. Contact: Alan Cusden 723420
Oxford Rugby Club
Boys and girls from 5, kevin.honner@ntlworld.com
Seniors, training etc jbrodley@chandlings.org.uk.
Oxford Sports Lawn Tennis
Club, N Hinksey
Family club: Melanie Riste 848658
melanie_riste@hotmail.com
Raleigh Park, Friends of raleighpark@raleighpark.org.uk
Saturdads
Botley Bridges
Fun activities and trips for Dads and under 5’s
10 am–noon 1st Sat of month. Tel: 243955
Seacourt Hall management
committee
Michael Cockman 07766 317691
michael.cockman@gmail.com.
Shotokan Karate club 6+ WOCC twice weekly Martyn King 07836 646450
Walking for Health
2nd & 4th Saturdays 9.45 Botley Library.
Alan 07941 610913
Weight Watchers
Thursdays 6pm at SS Peter & Paul Church Hall Banso
tel: 07779 253899 bansob@aol.com
West Oxford Bowls Club Contact details on www.westoxfordbowlsclub.co.uk
West Oxford Taekwon Do
Club
Mon, Thurs 6.30-8pm, MA gym, contact Chris Hall 01865
570291 www.wotkd.co.uk
West Oxford U3A (Uni of the 3rd Age) http://westoxfordu3a.org.uk/
West Way Day Centre
Mon & Fri 10–3pm, Field House, 07740 611971.
oxfordshirehub@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
Women’s Institute (Botley) Liz Manson, 244175 or l iz.manson@virginmedia.com
Yoga (gentle) at WOCC
Fri 10.15 - 11.30 (more energetic on Mon 6.30 7.45)
yogawithjacqueline@hotmail.com
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